Terror

London blasts - Business impact

U.S. SHIFTS ANTI-TERROR POLICY
By Guy Dinmore

Financial Times (UK)
July 31, 2005

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/97a97db4-01ff-11da-9481-00000e2511c8.html

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. is working with Britain and France to undermine the appeal of Muslim extremism by reaching out to moderate groups, in a sign that its counter-terrorism strategy is moving beyond the "war on terror."

U.S. and European officials say the Bush administration's review -- expected to lead to a formal declaration of a new national strategy -- represents not just a shift to a more multilateralist approach towards foreign policy but also an important development in thinking away from the emphasis on the military.

Already a shift in language has emerged that reflects the new approach. GWOT "the global war on terror" is being replaced in pronouncements by senior U.S. officials by SAVE: the "struggle [or some say "strategy"] against violent extremism".

Philip Zelikow, special adviser to Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, is leading the effort at the head of a 10-member US committee. Talks began in London and Paris in June with the blessing of the White House.

Mr. Zelikow's goal, according to a U.S. official who asked not to be named, was to "develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to discredit and demystify extremists' ideology and promote moderate Islamic voices."

A French official welcomed what he called the beginning of a "strategic dialogue on terrorism," although he said nothing had been formalized. Speaking as questioning of four suspects in the failed July 21 London bombings continued for a second day in the U.K. and Italy, and in the wake of the deadly July 7 attacks, he added: "The process began before the London bombings but that gave us a sense of emergency."

U.S., British, and French intelligence agencies have enjoyed close co-operation since al-Qaeda attacked in September 2001, but the new initiative reflects a more fundamental approach to countering a long-term danger that appears to be surviving the arrests of senior al-Qaeda figures. "The buzz is moderate Muslim outreach," one participant commented.

Buzzwords abound and there are some concerns that the U.S. team does not include leading experts on Islam. Mr. Zelikow wants to come up with a "single narrative" that crafts a message to moderate Muslims of a "common humanity" to counter the Osama Bin Laden message. The principles of the strategy appear to draw on the findings of the 9-11 Commission in the U.S., whose report, issued a year ago, was authored by Mr. Zelikow.

A former senior intelligence official who served in the Bush administration commented: "Conviction has been growing steadily and strongly here that we needed to come out of the tactical phase of this war and into a strategic phase which would include this outreach to the Muslim world and it would make sense to structure this some way with a couple of allies, particularly the French, who understand that world so well."

--Additional reporting by Demetri Sevastopulo.